Blood makes no difference
by dreamerbydawn
Summary: Youko kurama turns out to have more than just fox blood in him. A completely different version of his life where the only thing that is still the same in youko is kuroune who also has a deeper past of his own. title will seem irrelevant for now.......
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"This child is a disgrace to our clan" a young boy listened to a woman speak, from his hiding place behind the walls.

"Yes you are right. Such children should not be allowed to mix with our children" said another woman.

"But he is just a young boy! He doesn't even know-"a very pretty young lady argued. To the listening boy she was a guardian angel. Every time he got into trouble, she managed to get him out. She was the only person in the entire clan who did not turn up her nose or flinch when she saw him, instead she always wore a charming smile and her eyes, they somehow managed to stop his tears and her words never failed to console him. She was his only solace and he greatly respected his teacher.

"Look Miss Yamane, you are well aware of his bloodline-"one of the women started.

"He is not responsible for anything. You cannot possibly make a child pay for his parent's crimes. FOR HEAVENS SAKE HE IS AN INNOCENT CHILD!" she said exasperated.

"We cannot risk anything Yamane, every child in this clan is precious and we are in no position to afford any losses" the woman said.

"Exactly ! He is just as precious-" Yamane began.

"No, he is not! He is the son of a man who killed our clan leader; we cannot have him with us anymore. It is about time we have the child out of the way" another woman said.

"How is a child any threat to you?" Yamane countered.

"How is not the question Yamane, it is better to be safe than –"the other woman began.

"What are you going to do? Have him killed? God damn it" now Yamane sounded frustrated.

"Actually" one of the women started timidly "that is exactly what we have in mind" Yamane paled visibly.

"But for now he will only be a prisoner. We won't kill him unless he is officially of age, don't worry" the other woman added hurriedly

"No! This is insane, the elders will never agree to this madness" Yamane said weakly.

"Fortunately the elders have already given their consent my dear. But if you are really fond of this child maybe some arrangement can be done for you to meet him......anyway goodnight" with that the two women turned and walked away.

As Yamane watched the retreating figures, she sunk to the ground, unable to digest the simple truth. The young boy watched on silently but when it became clear that Yamane was in no position to pull herself together just yet, he went up to her. She immediately pulled him into her lap and hugged him tightly; he felt her dark silky curls brush his face. After a few seconds she loosened her grip and asked softly "How much of that did you hear Kuroune?" he looked into her eyes for a minute and then answered "The whole thing......" As he spoke, his voice trembled "thank you" he added "for trying to defend me".

Yamane's eyes filled with tears and she hugged him again more tightly and sobbed "I'm sorry Kuroune, I'm so sorry". The eight year old boy looked confused and asked "Why are you sorry Miss Yamane? You didn't do anything

She gave a sad smile and said "that's why Kuroune, because i didn't do anything".

"But you can't do anything about it anyway" Kuroune said.

She sighed "I wish I could my dear, I really do" after a short pause she added "if only I can change their mind....."

Kuroune suddenly sat up straighter and said "Miss Yamane, can i ask you something?"

"Sure" she said.

"Who was my father and what did he do?" Kuroune asked, the way he asked made her pity him. She looked away and after a few minutes said "when the time is right you will know"

"Was he bad?" Kuroune asked.

"I – ummm" Yamane didn't know what to say.

"He was!" Kuroune said firmly "I know he was, that's why he can't answer me and that's why everyone hates me" his eyes were by now filled with tears; he held tightly to his teacher and started crying.

"Kuroune" Miss Yamane said, pushing him back gently and trying to look into her eyes. But he kept looking away and then pulling back further he said "No miss Yamane don't come near me, I'm bad"

"No Kuroune, please" Miss Yamane tried but the boy turned and ran away. She had no choice but to follow. After about 15 minutes, she found him cuddled up in one of the corners of her classroom and crying.

She gently approached him and asked "can i sit down?"

"Why do you want to? What if you become bad Miss Yamane? What –"

"Sush, my dear that will do" she said. Kuroune instantly fell silent and looked at the floor. His eyes were still filled with tears. Yamane hated to see those beautiful blue eyes like that. She took a deep breath and said "Kuroune, I'm going to teach you something". The boy looked genuinely perplexed.

Yamane sighed "listen well Kuroune, this might be the last lesson I will ever get to teach you." His expression changed from confusion to shock. "Yes dear," she said "there is no point in pretending anymore. Tonight I am going to be very honest with you so please concentrate on my every word". Kuroune had a faint smile but nodded and sat up straighter and looked at her, innocence radiating, he waited silently

"Your father was a very powerful man, well known and feared by everyone. Your mother on the other hand was a simple woman whose only mistake according to the clan was falling in love with a man such as your father. She loved him dearly and did not care about what the others had to say. Likewise your father too loved her sincerely and you were born from a very strong power of love. The –"Yamane said only to be interrupted by Kuroune.

"Miss Yamane is love very powerful?" the boy asked, by now looking curious.

She smiled "yes dear, love is very powerful. Deprived of love life is never complete and even more importantly it is very good! No matter how bad a person is love is always pure. Do you understand?" she asked.

"I think so" Kuroune said. But before she could continue he asked "Miss Yamane is love found everywhere?"

"Why yes dear, love has many forms and it can be found in every part of the world" she said

"Then why doesn't it show itself? Does it always hide like the wind? Kuroune questioned. She laughed. So young and yet so many questions. Such thirst for knowledge was very rare.

"No Kuroune, love is visible" she said.

"What does it look like?" Kuroune asked sounding more and more curious. This love is a very mysterious thing Kuroune thought.

"That depends. You see love is very unique as visible as it is, it can also be invisible if you are ignorant and don't know where to find it" Yamane said.

"I don't understand Miss Yamane" Kuroune told her.

"I didn't think you would, let me see. Look around you and see if you can find love" Yamane said. The boy searched the room shrewdly but could not find anything.

"I don't think so........no its not here" Kuroune said.

"That is because you did not know where to look!" Miss Yamane said. Kuroune simply looked at her waiting for her to continue. "Now look into my eyes and try to see if I love you" she said. The boy obeyed her and looked deep into her eyes.

"What can you see?" she questioned.

"Comfort, care, warmth..............." his voice trailed off.

"Yes Kuroune, that is how love feels. It gives you all the things you just said and many more. Love can be seen through someone" she said.

"Does that mean you love me? Kuroune asked.

"Yes dear I do, I love you very much and I really don't want you to be taken away" she said sincerely.

"I love you too Miss Yamane" Kuroune whispered silently. She smiled. "Now can we go back to our lesson? She asked. Kuroune nodded.

"What I meant to say is that there is nothing wrong with you and you are not bad Kuroune. You were born from a very pure form of love get that?" she asked. Once again the boy nodded.

"Good. And finally everyone is different. In other words you are not your father or your mother. You are who you are and unless you decide to become bad you are not. Okay?" Yamane asked.

"But everyone thinks I'm bad" the boy protested.

"No they don't! I don't think you are bad" she said. "Don't let them get to you dear. You are an innocent child and that's about it. So please understand two things. First you are not bad and you are who you are and second i love you dear". Kuroune was silent for a long time and Yamane started to wonder if she had said too much.

Then finally he broke the silence "thank you miss Yamane........can I ask you something?"

She laughed outright and said "You never seem to run out of questions do you?" Kuroune became very silent not knowing whether to ask or not. Seeing his confusion Miss Yamane immediately raised an eyebrow indicating him to ask but he suddenly changed his mind and simply shook his head.

"That's okay Miss Yamane, thank you for everything. Good night" then unexpectedly he leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. She hugged him and said "Whatever happens be strong dear, never give up. Goodnight". He nodded and left. As she watched him leave she wished that his life will have more than just pain and death.

* * *

As he left the room Kuroune had many ideas. He went towards the place he called home and quickly gathered a few things and slung his amulet around his neck. Then he hurriedly wrote the following note

Thank you for everything Miss Yamane. I am leaving to somewhere far away. I don't know where. Someday I hope we will meet again. Love Kuroune.

Then slipping the note into Miss Yamane's house and whispering a silent but final good bye he vanished into the night.

Miss Yamane, who saw the note not long after he left it, smiled and thought '_May the stars watch over you and luck be on your side my dear '_ for she knew that the boy had better chances of survival this way. This was the last time that the ravens ever saw him.


	2. Chapter 2

I hope you all enjoyed reading the previous chapter. This is chapter is focused completely on Youko Kurama.

Chapter 2

A young boy stood at the window sill, gazing intently at the stars. His beautiful golden eyes were misted by tears. He was hungry; he had had no food all through the day because his tutor had given false complaints about him to his father. His cheek was still swollen and the cut under his knee was still hurting badly, but he did not care.....he was used to it. He focused his gaze on the beautiful full moon instead and watched as it ascended its throne on top of the world.

"You are so lucky" the boy whispered as if talking to the moon "Your life is so simple, you just come out every night and go off. You are so beautiful and everyone likes you" .His voice was soft, exceptionally so for a guy. He would have been stunningly handsome had it not been for the fact that every inch of his milky white skin was pale and badly bruised. His eyes hardly brightened and a smile was one ornament that he hardly wore. He was the only son of a very old kitsune leader, but except for a lavishly decorated room and an endless supply of silk, there was no indication that he, the prince of the fox clan was the heir to one of the largest clans of the demon world. Youko felt the breeze gently lift his hair, how nice it was to be alone and enjoy the beauties of nature.....

A few hours passed and the serene look on Youko's face was replaced by fear. He could sense his father coming and dreaded it, but there was no use. Nakago would be here in a few minutes. Shaking with fear, he crawled on to his bed and curled up, trying to make himself small and dissolve into the shadows. As expected the door slammed open and Nakago smiled nastily at him. Dressed in his usual blue silk, he staggered into the room. It took Youko only a few seconds to realise that his father was drunk. He curled into a tighter ball, biting his lips. Compared to the torture he received on drunken nights, the normal cold and merciless nights seemed almost heavenly.

Within seconds Nakago was at him. Picking him up, he threw Youko bodily to the opposite wall. As he fell he wondered if he would get tortured until 3 in the morning again. His head hit the wall hard and uncontrollable tears of pain raced down his cheek. Nakago laughed an insanely mirthless laugh and said "This is why you shouldn't be feather light". Ignoring the pain, Youko managed to stand up, waiting silently for the inevitable. For a few seconds there was a bone chilling silence and then his entire demeanour changed. His eyes became mere slits and rage overtook him. He kicked Youko hard in the ribs and screamed "WHY?" but silence was his only answer.

"I asked you a question boy!" Nakago shouted, punching him squarely on his jaw and turned away.

"I – I don't know" Youko managed to say, his voice barely above a whisper.

"What was that?" nakago asked, as he whirled about to face him again. His hand reached for his hair as Youko whimpered a weak "I don't know my lord". The minute the words were out of his mouth, the rose whip slashed across his skin. He yelped with pain and fell back only to meet the whip again. Damn it for being everywhere! Then as suddenly as it came, it stopped. Blood dripped to the floor and mixed with his hair.

"What do you know? You can't even make the smallest, easiest plants grow and yet you are the clan leader's son! .................. You – are – disgrace – to – me!" he said punctuating each word with a kick. He lifted Youko by his neck and as he gasped for breath, nakago looked deep into his eyes which reflected the hate on his own face and said "I don't get it, 3000 years..........never once........but you........the very first time...........how?" he seemed to struggle to string 2 words together, but stopped his efforts as a tall and slender woman walked in. Her long hair fell a little below her shoulders and every inch of her plain features was etched with pain.

"Please Nakago, stop this insanity!" she said. He dropped Youko to the floor and as the child fainted, nakago turned his back to him and faced the woman instead. His eyes were now filled with grief and his body shook with anger as he asked "Insanity? You call this insanity shiori? Well you are wrong! I'll tell you what insanity is! IT IS A WOMAN SHOWING UP AFTER A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AND TELLING ME THAT THIS CHILD IS MINE!" His voice rose steadily into a raw throated yell and his hand once again reached for his hair.

"I understand my love, but please go take some rest.........please dear" shiori pleaded. He gave her one sharp look, then picking up a glass vase he found in the room, he threw it at Youko and then staggered past her and out of the room. The vase fell precisely on its target and Youko's arm started bleeding. The minute he was gone Shiori rushed to Youko. She gently lifted him and put him on his bed. His normally pale skin was now chalk white from the blood loss and his temperature was rising. She immediately summoned a healer and waited anxiously till she was done.

"How is he?" she asked, her ancient eyes glistening with tears.

"I am surprised he is alive! Indeed it is a miracle. No child of such tender age can survive such brutality. But his condition has worsened my lady and you must prevent such happenings in the future." The healer said as she walked away. She nodded then proceeded into the room. Getting on the bed, she gently placed his head on her lap, pushed away the silky strands of silver from his face and kissed his forehead. She looked at him intently for a few seconds. Even after the miss-happenings of the night, his face had a serene look on it, as if he was at peace with everything and it always surprised her how he never lost his elegance even while he was unconscious. He was exquisite agile, light weighted and thus swift, excellent at any weapon and an amazing martial artist. While fighting too he had a graceful stance and was extremely polite and courteous which was astonishing for grace, elegance, politeness and courteousness were a few things that foxes genetically lacked. Apart from his behaviour, his looks too were invariably different. Foxes were generally tall, muscular and well built, their sharp features usually dripped with cruelty and their merciless laughter spoke of their cunning and untrustworthy nature. Except for the height factor Youko lacked all of the above. He was slender and had no visible muscle tone, though his features too were sharp, they had no cruelty in them. His eyes were soft and purity was the one thing that radiated from him all the time. Those beautiful golden eyes gave a silent promise of assurance that your secrets were safe. She smiled sadly and started stroking his hair subconsciously as the bitter sweet memories of the past came back to her as if from yesterday.

* * *

Please point out my errors (spelling wise or grammatical) and leave a review!!!!


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